European Patent Publication No. EP1967655 discloses an excavator bucket having a crushing mechanism comprised of a stationary part and a movable part which is drivingly connected with one or more hydraulic cylinders. The described excavator bucket further includes a gripping mechanism, and is therefore said to be a three-in-one excavator bucket and crusher that optionally may be used for excavation, crushing or sorting work.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,885 discloses a multipurpose work attachment for a front-end loader of the type having hydraulically actuated frame arms for supporting and manipulating a work attachment at the front of the vehicle. The work attachments includes a scoop or bucket in combination with a laterally extending row of ripper teeth mounted along a lower edge of the bucket and adapted from hydraulic actuation between an upper stored position and a downwardly extending deployed position for ripping earth upon vehicle movement in a reverse direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,810,610 discloses an edging device consisting of two major components: an edge member or plate and means for attaching the edge member to the bucket of an earth moving machine. The edge member is configured to be detachably attached to the bucket, where the edge member has a leading edge for contacting the earth. The edge member is described as being easily and quickly bolted to the bucket for use in smoothing the ground surface, but also removable without damaging the bucket. The described “bolt-on edge system” is a ground engaging tool that is said to replace the practice of welding an edge to the bucket teeth of on earth moving equipment such as backhoes, loaders and excavators.
However, the aforementioned excavating buckets do not provide a combination bucket that allows the operator of an excavating vehicle to easily alternate between using the bucket as a smooth-edged excavating bucket and a tooth-edged excavating bucket.
Thus, there exists a need for a combination excavating bucket which allows the operator of an excavating vehicle to easily and quickly alternate between using the bucket as a smooth-edged excavating bucket and a tooth-edged excavating bucket. The present invention substantially fulfills this need.